Divider strip and supporting bracket therefor



Oct. 19, 1943. PARMENTER 2,332,109

DIViDEB STRIP AND SUPPORTING BRACKET THEREFOR Filed June 12, 1941 U15 v e'nTor F. D. parw-nevnr i Patented Oct. 19,1943

.11 Claims.

' This invention relates todividerstrips and'supporting brackets thereforpsucbas-are used'in the laying of-terrazzoor siini-larfloorsywails, ceilings,

r pillars and other surf aces -inone 'or' more plastic coatings providing also for muchmore extensive -adaptation -than anyusedfiheretofore.

T .In laying floors of this- 'kind a foundation sur :face of some kind is first constructed overwhich in one or more' coa'tings (when plastio materials .are used, the surface isbuiltup to the finish coat. A iUn'densomeconditions itisdesirable to have these :coatings bon'd or adhere -to the foundation surface. In other circumstances 'it is' distinctly unwdesirablethat: any bond or -adherence should .occur. :The .construction adopted in these cases depends .upon the .nature "of the foundation and temperature. conditions causing eXpaI-isi'on a-and contractionzasowell :as-.other conditions-such as aa're found ini'industriah plants where," -for instance, 1' .the .use -:of steam cooking; water cooling, orwashing with hot or cold water'oc'curs. Other-condi- :tionszwhere a .fnozbond. coating is desirable and Leis practised, asxinthercase: ot-terrazzofioors, isto ,overcomencracking of the surface :coating resulting from structural smacks occurring in' the 'foundation structure .1 To prevent a *bon'd .under these conditions sandiora other material-of .suitcable :thickness is first .covered over the surface to prevent adhesion .of the i finishv coating. By this 5 method. panels are permitted to expand, contra'ct or remain independent-of. movement of the-foun- H dati-on. l

..-Itis my. purposedzo provide for 'all: of thesegcon- ,ditions rand .zforr :the --.ent-ire -zrange: 'of materials -rposes.

'Ihe rmaterializgenerallyitused I in -what is known .f as: CEBIYIflZZO; -zisacomposed' or. "marble ehipsmixed with :sand; and cement (generally. known a Port- .--.land: cement) .Qther products :are 1 composed -'of L- wood particlesgsandtand special cement products, .;also pulpwond asphalt, :rubber, cork, "etc.

:As anbexa'mpleythegeneral? practicein terrazzo dfioorilayingais rto usexmetal-zstrips' fo'r the pur-pose of. iseparatingztsuch: finish coatings's into 'blocks, panels, 3 bordersaand various ornamental shapes and.=. designs TWith Ail-1e; finishedusurface 1 ground -*smo.th; atherebyi exposingthe :face .of .:.the metal :strips. xThegjterrazzo.'zdivider strip iszattachedto the basatowhich .the (terrazzo :or others material coatings-are to b a p ied Considerablerdimculty. is. .found. in.- iobtainingg :suiiioientrigidness, properalignmentand accurate-jointing. Greater difidulty is. encountered [when the-base. or :toundation is uneven .orlgraded :and when-the: design involves curved'lines. I

f The objects of my invention are; .brieflyto .provide "for a'wide varietyiof ornamental design; to :provide for expansion and. contraction at the "joints of :the panels, blocks; borders, 'etc. to provide bycreating' break, joints, .forithe. avoidance. v

(Cl. 94- -11} H I I I i H of cracking 'of panels; dueto-expansionand' 'contraction; to =pr0vide means *of retaining 1 in position panels which are not f bonded'or. do' n ot iajdhere' to' the foundationpand to" provide a divider 5 istrip for 'these and other purposes whichwill be rigid and accurate and adaptable for obtaining a straight line :orvcurvedzline on 1evel,-. uneven or ..:.graded. surfaces.- and' which :will be-aadjustable,

economical'andr quickly xand aeasily applied.

".-IFurther subjects of imy :invention. are to; pro-' 'iVid'etin conjunction with (a divider strip *and supports, means for concealing any opening caused a "by; loosesfittingapanels or by" expansion ':and=:con-

traction and to protect the edgeskof:suchrioints also -:to. renderithem tightly heldin-position;

, Further :objects of my; invention are; :to: provide for the retaining of previously made:panels,

tile slabs, or blocks WhichfareI10tT he1d'lin:-pOSi-- .tion;by.=being'"bondewfior adhereato the-"base surface.

enected. The holes may beeround and closely spaced to. provide tfor. longitudinal adjustmentof the divider strips relative to the suppQrting H brackets-but preferably are in the-form Of'lOngi- :tudinalslots.

The brackets are each. provided :with avertical "slot adapted to receive screws, bolts or rivets, the slot providing verticahadjustment of the divider .istrips relative. to}the.brackets to compensate for unevenness inthe, base or floor. ,Itis not. neceswhich may beoemployedueffectively:for these pur- $31? that i Strip b i contact'with I .surface to iwthichiti is applied. Preferably the -brackets are..L,-shaped with a slotted hole in the foot,adapted to receive. a screw orother means a iorIsecuringgthe bracket to.the,\floor or base -:to

40 which terrazzo or other rnaterials are vto beo apl, plied. I The slot in the vfootmakesit .possibleto positionthe securing means suitably .relative. to

the divider strip enabling, .the L divider strip. to .be aligned or to folloyvlanlirregular line,-.as.may

desired, andpermitting fine adjustmentaftenthe ""brackets have been attachedto thewbase, orfloor. "The brackets may also be bendable to vary the.

whichthe bracket iss'ecured. I

[The supporting bracket projections oft screw heads and nuts, :togetherfwith the openings in V the divider strips which are not utilized .forsupgporting brackets act to engage theplastic coatings assisting in securing or keying them in place.

A furtherefeature of. my invention is that cover strips .may be provided attached .tothe upper I provided with .a resilient. under con-tact t surface;

n such as rubben to render the contact continuously I bracket, showing a portion of able material.

The invention is hereinafter more particularly bracket on the left of Fig. 1 is mounted on 9.

described and is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevationof part of a dividing strip and brackets mounted on a floor, before the terrazzo has been applied;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line 22 in Fig. 1, showingthe terrazzo laid;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a divider strip and the divider strip bent to form a design;

.. i Fig. 4 is a perspective side view of a bracket;

" Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form ofbracket. I

Fig. ,6 is a perspective side and top view of a divider strip showingfrom left to right a boss or I block in place for supporting cover strip, a section of cover strip mounted on the boss, and the construction of divider strip for receiving the boss;

.and

Fig. '7 is .'a perspective side view of a cover strip 1 supporting boss.

In the drawing like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. The divider strip 1 is composed of a long, thin sheet of brass or other suitable material, which when properly supported is sufllciently rigid to maintain its upright position when the terrazzo i or other surfacinglma'terial is applied to the floor. A plurality of longitudinally spaced longitudinal slots 2 are formed in the strip I preferably slightly below the center line thereof. uous slots, separate closely spaced round holes In place of continmay be used, as shown at the right hand end of Fig. 6.

The supporting brackets 3 are preferably L- depressed part of the floor, while the central bracket is mounted on a higher point of the floor, but the strip is held perfectly horizontal. It will also be noted that the right end bracket is secured near one end of the slot 2 in the strip I, and that the bracket is at an angle to the horizontal, yet

' the strip is properly supported. In Fig. 2 a further feature of my invention is shown, since it shows the supporting bracket bent at the junction between its foot and upright portion to permit it to conform to an irregular or graded floor surface in such a way that the upright portion remains vertical.

In Fig. 1 at the left end, the screw 9 is screwed into a plug 8 inserted in a hole in the base or floor 8. At the right end of Fig. 1 and in Fig. 2 the screw-is screwed directly into the base material. Frequently holes are bored in the base to receive the screws. The holes need not be placed accurately since the bracket 3 is adjustable longitudinally of the strip I by reason of the slot 2 and transversely by reason of the slot 3 in the foot thereof. Thus the strip I can be accurately positioned and the bracket adjusted so that the slot 3 registers with the hole in the base.

In Fig. 2 a bed I0 of cement or similar material is shown on top of the floor with a terrazzo or shaped and are made of brass, iron or other suit- I The upright portion is provided witha vertical slot I and the foot portion is provided with a horizontal slot 3 The strip I and the supporting brackets 3 are connected together by means of bolts 4 and nuts 5,

preferably with a .washer 6 between the head of each bolt and bracket and awasher 1 between each nut and the strip, one or both of which washers may be of the split ring type with a The supporting v "left hand end of Fig. 1 a wooden plug 2 embeddedin the concrete .is shown for receiving the screws.

In Fig. lpart of a strip is shown with the supporting brackets in. position. This view shows composition surface I I on top of said bed.

In Fig. 3 is shown a bend in the divider strip I. In heavy material, to facilitate bending, a V- shaped notch may be cut in the strip at I thus reducing the pieced or mitred joints used and eliminating poor joints.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modification of a supporting bracket in which the bracket is a straight strip or sheet of material which maybe embedded in the floor or base material instead of being secured thereto by screws or similar securing means as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and. 3,

It is sometimes desirable to have a cover strip I2 overthe joints between the blocks or divisions of the surface material. The cover strip I2 comprises athin strip of metal, wood, or other suitable material having one surface at least substantially flat laid with the plane of its flat surface adjacent to and substantially at right angles that the supporting brackets may be mounted on I either side of the strip; This is an important advantage of this construction, since the bracket may be located on the side of the 'strip upon which it is most conv'enient to apply it owing" to the form of the flooring, or; the location of adjacent walls.

' The flooring in Fig. l is shown as being uneven,

such as, a rough concrete floor. Owing to the vertical slots sun the supporting brackets 3, the

brackets may be vertically adjusted relative to the strip to compensate for unevennesses in the floor,

and the strip may be supported above the highest point of the floor. It will be noted that the fir and extending on either side of the divider strip, to cover said divider strip and the adjacent edges of the blocks or divisions of the surface material.

Sometimes the surface material is laid in the form of separate blocks instead of in a plastic condition in which case the cover strip I2 maintains the blocks in position, particularly if the blocks are being applied to a wall. By the use of a cover strip the blocks may be provided with spaces between their edges and the divided strips to allow for expansion and contraction, the cover strip I2 covering the joints as well as holding the blocks in position. Means for mounting such cover strips are illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7,

whichmeans comprise bosses I 3, having axial internally threaded holes therein adapted to receive screws or bolts I4 which pass through holes in the cover strip I2 for securing said cover strip to' said bosses. The bosses may be formed integral with the strip or secured thereto in any desired manner, but preferably the bosses are provided with vertical slots I3? on each side thereof adapted to slide on the edges of notches I 5 in the upper edge of the divider strip. These notches I may be provided with cut-out portions I in the bottom thereof and the bosses I3 may be formed of sufficiently bendable material and the lower sides of the slots l3 may be bent in to engage the cut-out portions l This may be done by some instrument or by the pressure of the surface material thereon, and serves to prevent the bosses from pulling out.

It will be seen from the above description that I have devised a divider strip and supporting brackets therefor whereby the divider strips may be laid accurately on even or uneven surfaces which are or are not provided with holes to receive securing screws for supporting the brackets on the said surface. By the construction of the divider strips and brackets described, the divider strips may be laid so that they join accurately and their upper edges are substantially horizontal and do not require to be ground down after the floor is laid.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination of a divider strip having spaced notches in its upper edge; and bosses mounted in said notches and internally threaded to receive a bolt for securing a cover strip thereto.

2. The combination of a divider strip having spaced notches in its upper edge; and bosses mounted in said notches, said bosses having slots in opposite sides thereof which receive the edges of the notches, said bosses being internally threaded to receive a bolt for securing a cover strip thereto.

3. The combination of a divider strip having spaced notches in its upper edge; and bosses mounted in said notches said bosses having slots in opposite sides thereof which receive the edges of the notches, said bosses being internally threaded to receive a bolt for securing a cover strip thereto, the notches having cut out portions at their inner ends into which the lower ends of the sides of the slots of the bosses are pressed to retain said bosses in the notches.

l. The combination of a divider strip for terrazzo and similar surfaces provided with the spaced bosses in its upper edge, said bosses having internally threaded holes; a cover strip comprising a thin strip of material having at least one substantially flat surface provided with holes registering with the internally threaded holes in the bosses; and a bolt for securing the cover strip to said bosses with its fiat surface substantially at right angles to the plane of the surface of the divider strip and extending on either side of the divider strip, whereby it is adapted to cover said divider strip and the adjacent portions of the surface material when laid.

5. The combination of a divider strip for terrazzo and similar surfaces provided with detachably spaced bosses in its upper edge, said bosses having internally threaded holes; a cover strip comprising a thin strip of material having at least one substantially flat surface provided with holes registering with the internally threaded holes in the bosses; and a bolt for securing the cover strip to said bosses with its flat surface substantially at right angles to the plane of the surface of the divider strip and extending on either side of the divider strip, whereby it is adapted to cover said divider strip and the adjacent portion of the surface material when laid.

6. The combination of a divider strip adapted to be set into terrazzo and similar floors with its edge substantially flush with the surface thereof to divide said surface into various shapes and designs; supporting brackets; and means for securing the divider strip to said brackets, said divider strip and each of the brackets having holes formed therein through which the said securing means is adapted to pass, said holes being formed and arranged so that the relative position of the divider strip and supporting brackets may be adjusted vertically and horizontally.

7. The combination of a divider strip adapted to be set into terrazzo and similar floors with its edge substantially flush with the surface thereof to divide said surface into various shapes and de-. signs; supporting brackets; and means for secur ing the divider strip to said brackets, said divider strip and each of the brackets having holes formed therein through which the said securing means is adapted to pass, said holes comprising vertical and horizontal slots whereby the relative position of the divider strip and supporting brackets may be adjusted vertically and horizontally.

8. The combination of a divider strip adapted to be set into terrazzo and similar floors with its edge substantially flush with the surface thereof to divide said surface into various shapes and designs, said strip having a series of longitudinally spaced longitudinal slots therein; supporting brackets comprising an upright portion and a foot, the upright portion having a vertical slot; and securing members adapted to pass through the said slots to secure the divider strip to the brackets.

9. The combination of a divider strip adapted .to be set into terrazzo and similar floors with its edge substantially flush with the surface thereof to divide said surface into various shapes and designs, said strip having a series of longitudinally spaced holes therein; supporting brackets having an upright portion and a foot portion, the upright portion having a vertical slot and the foot portion having a slot therein; means adapted to pass through said holes in the strip and slots in the brackets for securing the divider strip to the brackets; and means adapted to pass through the hole in the foot part to secure the bracket to a base.

10. The combination of a divider strip adapted to be set into terrazzo and similar floors with its edge substantially flush with the surface thereof to divide said surface into various shapes and designs, said strip having a series of longitudinally spaced longitudinal slots therein; brackets having an upright portion and a foot portion, the upright portion having a vertical slot and the foot portion having a longitudinal slot therein; means adapted to pass through said slots in the strip and the slots in the upright portion of the brackets for securing the divider strip to the brackets; and means adapted to pass through the slots in the foot portion of the brackets for securing the brackets to a base.

11. The combination of a divider strip adapted to be set into terrazzo and similar fioors with its edge substantially flush with the surface thereof to divide said surface into various shapes and designs, said strip having a series of longitudinally spaced holes therein; supporting brackets comprising an upright portion and a foot, the upright portion having a hole therein and the foot part having a slot therein; means adapted to pass through the holes in the strip and the holes in the upright portion of the brackets for securing them together; and means adapted to pass through the slot in the foot part of the brackets for securing them to a base.

FRANK D. PARMIENTER.

supporting 

